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'We still have to find Charlie'; search continues for 2nd boater

Friends of Charles Jackson head out in an airboat, as others gather at Black Hammock fish camp, while the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission continues the search for his body on Lake Jesup, north of Oviedo, on Thursday morning, January 3, 2013.

Published: Friday, January 4, 2013 at 5:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, January 4, 2013 at 4:50 p.m.

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It read: “Jason and Charlie missing on the river. Found boat but not the boys.”

It was the last of many Facebook and text messages, in addition to 65 missed calls Kidder got Saturday after her boyfriend, Jason Cobb, 30, of Osteen and his buddy Charles Jackson, 26, of Deltona did not arrive home after a trip to Black Hammock Fish Camp in Oviedo on Friday night.

A day after searchers found Cobb's body floating in the lake, the search continued Thursday for Jackson.

Two three-man crews from Patrick Air Force Base showed up at the Cameron Wight boat ramp on State Road 46 to help with the search. The six men, from the 920th Rescue Squad known as the Guardian Angels, planned to search until nightfall and resume the search first thing Friday morning if the body was not found, officials said. They launched their 15-footer inflatable boats, equipped with side-scanner sonar, onto the St. Johns River and headed to Lake Jesupon on Thursday afternoon .

At first Kidder didn't want to think the worst because she said Cobb and Jackson were survivalists who spent many days on the St. Johns River and Lake Jesup.

But Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials concluded the men experienced a boating accident after 1 a.m. Saturday on Lake Jesup while on their way from the fish camp to Cobb's home at Lookout Lane in Osteen.

“It appears both were ejected from the boat,” said wildlife commission spokesman Lenny Salberg. “The ignition key was on and the throttle was wide open.”

Searchers, including members of the wildlife commission, the Volusia and Seminole sheriff's offices and volunteers and friends of the missing boaters, found Cobb's body about 5 p.m. Wednesday. Salberg said it was floating in 6-foot-deep water near Bird Island, a patch of ground in the middle of the 16,000-acre lake.

Ericka Cobb, Jason Cobb's sister-in-law, and his cousin Lauren Cobb of West Melbourne said they realized something was wrong when Jason did not arrive Saturday morning to help a cousin move.

“He was supposed to be at our home in Melbourne at 7:30 a.m. Saturday,” Lauren Cobb said. “It was not like him to not show up.”

After word spread that Jason Cobb and Charles Jackson were missing, family and friends gathered near Lake Jesup to organize searches, Ericka Cobb said. On Thursday, the fifth day of the search, a tent was set up near the lake next to a mobile camper. Many red and yellow fuel gallons were visible as people from the community donated food and the use of personal equipment to help find the missing friends.

“They have been coming to bring their change or fuel so we can have fuel to continue searching,” Ericka Cobb said. “We still have to find Charlie.”

One man, Ron Bishop of Daytona Beach, who does not know the victims or their families, flew in his fixed-wing yellow seaplane over the lake helping in the search.

“I am very grateful for his help,” Kidder said.

Jason Cobb grew up in West Melbourne but moved to Osteen six years ago, Ericka Cobb said. He was a very social person who would smile and talk to people, even those he didn't know.

Her brother-in-law and Jackson, a glass worker, loved being on the water even if they were not fishing. Cobb loved motorcycles and doing things with his hands.

“He welded together the figure of man with a pitchfork in his hand and the words ‘homemade country boy,'” Ericka Cobb said of her brother-in-law. “He put that on his flatbed after his airboat was stolen.”

Jason Cobb and Jackson were the “energy of the room” wherever they went, Ericka Cobb and Kidder said.

“He was a great corn-hole player,” Ericka Cobb said of Jason Cobb. “But overall he was a good person. He had a good heart.”

Jason Cobb worked for the Seminole County School Board as a maintenance worker, Kidder said. Her boyfriend of 4 1/2 years was supposed to come to her house Friday but called her to tell her that “Charles had stolen him away from her” and that “he was at the fish camp,” Kidder said.

Kidder said she will miss the man she loved dearly – the man who showed up at her daughter's middle school one day – with pizzas for her and her classmates.

“I will miss his laughs,” a tearful Kidder said. “And the train horns on his truck, which he would blow to scare me. They are very loud.”

<p>Tara Kidder said the text message was short and worrisome. </p><p>It read: “Jason and Charlie missing on the river. Found boat but not the boys.” </p><p>It was the last of many Facebook and text messages, in addition to 65 missed calls Kidder got Saturday after her boyfriend, Jason Cobb, 30, of Osteen and his buddy Charles Jackson, 26, of Deltona did not arrive home after a trip to Black Hammock Fish Camp in Oviedo on Friday night. </p><p>A day after searchers found Cobb's body floating in the lake, the search continued Thursday for Jackson. </p><p> Two three-man crews from Patrick Air Force Base showed up at the Cameron Wight boat ramp on State Road 46 to help with the search. The six men, from the 920th Rescue Squad known as the Guardian Angels, planned to search until nightfall and resume the search first thing Friday morning if the body was not found, officials said. They launched their 15-footer inflatable boats, equipped with side-scanner sonar, onto the St. Johns River and headed to Lake Jesupon on Thursday afternoon . </p><p>At first Kidder didn't want to think the worst because she said Cobb and Jackson were survivalists who spent many days on the St. Johns River and Lake Jesup. </p><p>But Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials concluded the men experienced a boating accident after 1 a.m. Saturday on Lake Jesup while on their way from the fish camp to Cobb's home at Lookout Lane in Osteen. </p><p>“It appears both were ejected from the boat,” said wildlife commission spokesman Lenny Salberg. “The ignition key was on and the throttle was wide open.” </p><p>Searchers, including members of the wildlife commission, the Volusia and Seminole sheriff's offices and volunteers and friends of the missing boaters, found Cobb's body about 5 p.m. Wednesday. Salberg said it was floating in 6-foot-deep water near Bird Island, a patch of ground in the middle of the 16,000-acre lake. </p><p>Ericka Cobb, Jason Cobb's sister-in-law, and his cousin Lauren Cobb of West Melbourne said they realized something was wrong when Jason did not arrive Saturday morning to help a cousin move. </p><p>“He was supposed to be at our home in Melbourne at 7:30 a.m. Saturday,” Lauren Cobb said. “It was not like him to not show up.” </p><p>After word spread that Jason Cobb and Charles Jackson were missing, family and friends gathered near Lake Jesup to organize searches, Ericka Cobb said. On Thursday, the fifth day of the search, a tent was set up near the lake next to a mobile camper. Many red and yellow fuel gallons were visible as people from the community donated food and the use of personal equipment to help find the missing friends. </p><p>“They have been coming to bring their change or fuel so we can have fuel to continue searching,” Ericka Cobb said. “We still have to find Charlie.” </p><p>One man, Ron Bishop of Daytona Beach, who does not know the victims or their families, flew in his fixed-wing yellow seaplane over the lake helping in the search. </p><p>“I am very grateful for his help,” Kidder said. </p><p>Jason Cobb grew up in West Melbourne but moved to Osteen six years ago, Ericka Cobb said. He was a very social person who would smile and talk to people, even those he didn't know. </p><p>Her brother-in-law and Jackson, a glass worker, loved being on the water even if they were not fishing. Cobb loved motorcycles and doing things with his hands. </p><p>“He welded together the figure of man with a pitchfork in his hand and the words 'homemade country boy,'” Ericka Cobb said of her brother-in-law. “He put that on his flatbed after his airboat was stolen.” </p><p>Jason Cobb and Jackson were the “energy of the room” wherever they went, Ericka Cobb and Kidder said. </p><p>“He was a great corn-hole player,” Ericka Cobb said of Jason Cobb. “But overall he was a good person. He had a good heart.” </p><p>Jason Cobb worked for the Seminole County School Board as a maintenance worker, Kidder said. Her boyfriend of 4 1/2 years was supposed to come to her house Friday but called her to tell her that “Charles had stolen him away from her” and that “he was at the fish camp,” Kidder said. </p><p>Kidder said she will miss the man she loved dearly – the man who showed up at her daughter's middle school one day – with pizzas for her and her classmates. </p><p>“I will miss his laughs,” a tearful Kidder said. “And the train horns on his truck, which he would blow to scare me. They are very loud.”</p>